In a self-defense situation, it's imperative to use the appropriate amount of force to stop the threat. As the saying goes, it's less than ideal to bring a knife to a gun fight. Using too little force to defend yourself means you're likely to lose the fight and end up shot, stabbed, or curb-stomped. On the other hand, if someone throws a punch at you, escalating the fight by drawing a knife or gun without legal justification might land you in prison.
The point is that you need to have several self-defense options at your disposal. These should range from no force (running away) to lethal force (knife or gun).
Impact weapons are a helpful intermediate tool — they'll give you a force-multiplier that allows you to stop the threat safely and in a controlled manner. Many impact weapons can also be carried in non-permissive environments where you wouldn't be able to carry a knife or gun.
We've shared several videos from instructor Michael Janich about self-defense tools and techniques, including how to use tactical pens and how to fight back if you're knocked to the ground. The latest RECOILtv SHTF/OFFGRID video covers self-defense with flashlights. In the video below, Janich discusses why a flashlight can be a useful part of your every-day carry gear, and how you can use it in hammer-fist strikes to disable an attacker.